... maybe it's this insanely good new offering from Maybelline.
I'm always sceptical about lofty claims like 'Full Coverage' and 'Superstay!' but you know what? They live up to what they promise, and I'm super impressed.
Shade selection wasn't simple for the trial, as I couldn't swatch (of course!) but I managed to find a shade that's utterly perfect for my skin apart from the day after freshly tanning - I'll probably go up a shade when I repurchase - and I WILL be repurchasing. In the meantime, a little bronzer on top of this brings it up to perfect.
The packaging is standard for a the brand - nothing super unique but an attractively presented square clear glass bottle with a white top, and subtle silver/pink labelling. 30 mls is a decent size for foundation, so I think it's value for money in this size.
The pump has already leaked ever so slightly but the lid fits well and i'm reasonably confident about leaving it in my makeup bag even when travelling. The pump is white plastic as well, and (amazingly) one pump dispenses enough foundation for a full face. Well done on that one Maybelline!
The foundation is mid -consistency; not runny or super thick. It spreads and applies well, but requires buffing to get it to blend fully - no worries as I do this anyway. It has a very faint scent that I barely notice.
The foundation, once applied, wears beautifully. I've tried it over various illuminators, primers and moisturisers, and topped with a couple of diff powders, and it has interacted well with everything I've tried. Longevity is impressive - it survived a festival; hours in the sun in crowds of people and 27 degree heat without a worry.
I haven't had any negative reactions from my skin, it seems to really like this foundation.
Removal was easy with oil cleanser, but tougher with both facial wipes and micellar water. It appears to need to be dissolved a little then the full face cleansing to remove every trace - that's the tradeoff I guess!
I'll definitely be repurchasing this in both this shade and a slightly darker one - i think I've found my new HG foundation.
I have high foundation expectations. My expectations for a long wearing full coverage foundation are even higher. I had a super positive experience with the Maybelline fit me matte and poreless so I had VERY high expectations for this foundation.
For starters thank god Maybelline has answered our prayers and given us a pump!! the only hassle with fit me is the lack of pump, so I am loving the fact that this foundation has a pump. The bottle is glass, feels good, looks good. Packaging is a tick.
The colour. I am very fair and drugstore brands usually do not go super fair. I was prepared to be wearing an orange foundation even though I got the lightest shade but Maybelline has managed to nail it again with this colour range for pale skin! (can not comment on dark colours as not sure how they match.)
This foundation claims to be full coverage and long wearing. Would I say this is the fullest coverage I have ever used, no but it is definitely a medium - full coverage buildable. I like the coverage for this, I can cover any redness or blemishes that may be happening and I don't feel like I need to add any extra coverage on top.
The formula I found was quite matte. I have combination skin so this was working well for the majority of my face although there were a few dry patches that it clung to slightly but not noticeable enough to bother me. This foundation definitely stayed matte for most of the day and was not sticky at all.
Wear time, it definitely lasted on me. It claims 24 hours but I didn't wear it for 24 hours because who wants to do that, but I wore it for a solid 14 hours and after a bit of powdering I would still have been happy to go out again with the foundation looking fine.
Overall I think this foundation is really good. It lasts a long time. It has a really good coverage. It has a good pump and packaging and its easy to get. I don't think there is anything I would change about this foundation, Maybelline has stepped up their foundation game in the last year or so and I am not disappointed in this foundation at all.
Tips: Blend relatively fast as its fast setting